System and method for assisting vehicle driving for using smart phone

Abstract

A system and a method for assisting vehicle driving are provided. The system may select and use an imaging device among a plurality of imaging devices within a smart phone possessed by a driver or a passenger in a vehicle and assist in driving. A system includes a smart phone configured to capture an image in front of a vehicle and an inner image of the vehicle using the plurality of imaging devices within the smart phone and select one of the plurality of imaging devices. The system also includes a controller configured to analyze image information provided from the plurality of imaging devices to operate the smart phone or control the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for assisting vehicle driving using a smart phone including a plurality of imaging devices, comprising:
 a smart phone configured to capture an image in front of a vehicle and an inner image of the vehicle using the plurality of imaging devices and automatically select one of the plurality of imaging devices; and 
 a controller configured to analyze image information provided from the plurality of imaging devices to operate the smart phone or operate the vehicle, 
 wherein the controller is configured to operate one of the front and rear imaging devices coinciding with a driving direction of the vehicle by using a sensor provided from the smart phone when the vehicle is continuously driven, and 
 wherein in the operating of one of the front and rear imaging devices using a sensor provided from the smart phone, the front and rear imaging devices are operated using signal output information of sensors in the smart phone. 
 
     
     
       2. The system for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 1 , wherein the smart phone includes an imaging device sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an accelerator sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an illumination sensor, a proximity sensor, and a gravity sensor. 
     
     
       3. The system for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an alarm configured to output an alarm message t when an image capture direction of the imaging device is not an image capture direction of the imaging device designated by a driver. 
 
     
     
       4. The system for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect vehicle information including a driving speed of the vehicle, a longitudinal acceleration, a transversal acceleration, and an angle and an angular velocity of a wheel. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for assisting vehicle driving using a smart phone including a plurality of imaging devices, comprising:
 operating, by a controller, a front imaging device and a rear imaging device in the smart phone to capture an image, before a vehicle starts to drive; 
 selecting, by the controller, one of the front and rear imaging devices by comparing the photographed images; 
 operating, by the controller, one of the front and rear imaging devices coinciding with a driving direction of the vehicle by using a sensor provided from the smart phone when the vehicle is continuously driven; and 
 operating, by the controller, the smart phone or the vehicle by analyzing image information provided from the plurality of imaging devices, 
 wherein in the operating of one of the front and rear imaging devices using a sensor provided from the smart phone, the front and rear imaging devices are operated using signal output information of sensors in the smart phone. 
 
     
     
       6. The method for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes an imaging device sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an accelerator sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an illumination sensor, a proximity sensor, and a gravity sensor. 
     
     
       7. The method for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 6 , wherein the accelerator sensor is used simultaneously with the driving of the vehicle and when an accelerator sensor value of a −z axis in the smart phone is positive (+) or an accelerator sensor value is a −z value, the progress direction of the vehicle is a −z axis direction, wherein the rear imaging device is selected and when the accelerator sensor value of a +z axis is positive (+) or the accelerator sensor value is a +z value, the progress direction of the vehicle is a +z axis direction, such that the front imaging device is automatically selected. 
     
     
       8. The method for assisting vehicle driving of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 outputting an alarm message to the driver when an image capture direction of the imaging device is not an image capture direction of the imaging device designated by a driver. 
 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller for assisting vehicle driving, the computer readable medium comprising:
 program instructions that operate a front imaging device and a rear imaging device in the smart phone to capture an image, before a vehicle starts to drive; 
 program instructions that select one of the front and rear imaging devices by comparing the photographed images; 
 program instructions that operate one of the front and rear imaging devices coinciding with a driving direction of the vehicle using a sensor provided from the smart phone when the vehicle is continuously driven and operate one of the front and rear imaging devices using a sensor provided from the smart phone, the front and rear imaging devices are operated using signal output information of sensors in the smart phone; and 
 program instructions that operate the smart phone or the vehicle by analyzing image information provided from the plurality of imaging devices. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the sensor includes an imaging device sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an accelerator sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an illumination sensor, a proximity sensor, and a gravity sensor. 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the accelerator sensor is used simultaneously with the driving of the vehicle and when an accelerator sensor value of a −z axis in the smart phone is positive (+) or an accelerator sensor value is a −z value, the progress direction of the vehicle is a −z axis direction, such that the rear imaging device is selected and when the accelerator sensor value of a +z axis is positive (+) or the accelerator sensor value is a +z value, the progress direction of the vehicle is a +z axis direction, such that the front imaging device is automatically selected. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising
 program instructions that output an alarm message to the driver when an image capture direction of the imaging device is not an image capture direction of the imaging device designated by a driver.